Having It

Both Ways

Is it better to possess a thing of beauty, or to experience the ultimate consummation of oneness with that beautiful thing by actually consuming it... and being left only with the memory of its beauty? Leave it up to our deviantARTists to think of a way to have it both ways – but left over as a feast for the eyes, preserved eternally on the digital planes of deviantART.

Craft, design, and artistry as applied to the most delicious and sinful of the culinary disciplines rises forth as we shine warming a light on this small but incredibly skilled serving of artists within the deviantART community. In an effort to taste all of the communities within deviantART, let’s take a quick exit off the main freeway of art categories and stop inside the open-all-night eatery for a re-fuelling of the most important food group:

Cakes, pies and cupcakes

It is a decidedly sweet batch of artwork.

There are rows of identical Twinkies (or used to be) and then there are these carefully crafted monuments to pop culture icons constructed from a palette of sugar and ingenious design ideas. The group dA-Cake-Artists features a wide array of cakes produced by artists from every deviantART kitchen. Sample the artistic recipes given beneath many of these deviations describing the process and story behind each creation. Watch the group for what I am sure will a very interesting Holiday season of elaborately designed edible artworks submitted over the next month. Also check out FoodIsArt.

Many of these artworks fall into the “how could they have possibly made that happen” category. This dragon “Skyward Sword :: Furnix Cake” by cakecrumbs is especially noteworthy. I am sure having a Master's degree in Zoology helped a bit while Rhiannon was designing this dragon. Or was it hours playing Zelda while munching on sweets? Something must stir her incredible talent and skill.

People have always had an obsessional and mystical relationship with the demands of their stomachs, significant enough for eternal recording. When contemplating the Neolithic cave paintings of early humanity and marveling at the loving detail informing the herds of prehistoric gazelle that were the early hunters’ prey, one must wonder, was it the adrenaline rush of the hunt that the artist was trying to capture, or was he merely consumed with mankind’s most pressing daily question:

What’s for lunch?

I am assuming I have to turn in my copy of “Cave of Forgotten Dreams” after that last line. But, one should ask how an artist could complete one of these works on these pages without eating it before it is born (I mean fully baked). Obviously it’s better at the end of the day to be covered by butter, sugar and frosting than paints full of toxic if not fatal chemicals.

Is it better to possess a thing of beauty, or to experience the ultimate consummation of oneness with that beautiful thing by actually consuming it... and being left only with the memory of its beauty? Leave it up to our deviantARTists to think of a way to have it both ways – but left over as a feast for the eyes, preserved eternally on the digital planes of deviantART.Writers: $techgnoticDesigners: $marioluevanos

sandwiches or finger food snax little crackers and cheese, grapes are perfect. just for myself the line would be if the decoration is something that if real I would not eat, it won't go on my cake...otherwise free -for-all... #3 yes and lastly pumpkin pie followed closely by buttercream petite fours and cheesecake.

2. I tried molding pastries and icing into shapes but... most of the times I failed because I'm still a beginner or got the wrong ingredients. XP

3. OH YES I WOULD! The problem is that I don't have a part time job yet to get the supplies. My parents would actually be either this O_o or this -_- They hate messy kitchen but they know I'm a creative person who searches up different sweet cake recipes that they couldn't believe... most of the time they can't afford what I need but its ok. mmmmmm I'm hungry...

4. my favourite form of the dessert would be from the game and movie based dessert forms like Skyrim sweet rolls, narnia turkish delights, dung pie, etc. I was like that ever since when I first watched jurassic park when I was... 3? I wanted the food the characters had on the dinner table! pineapples, venison, pork chicken! 8D but when I look in the fridge... empty but with bread, milk and fruits and veggies. lol.

1. I don't eat not to make the artwork dirty. But I drink a lot of tea and coffee.

2. I guess this would be when I cannot say whether I can eat the beautiful thing or not. When I can't say it's a cake when I see it - this is the line.

3. I would but I lack accessories D:4. Oh my, only one? I cannot decide! I like simple things like ice-cream and cakes but would eat pretty much anything sweet, I just don't like it when there's too much fruit in it.

1. I sometimes eat when I draw...'cuz if I draw something from an MMO or something like that,I start to think of the foods in-game,and that makes me hungry.

2.Hmm...though question...

3.Yep. I've always thought of designing and decorating cakes...(though I'm not a very good cook)..,only your limits are the boundaries that determine what you can create! If you choose to face your limints,then you can create anything!

1. I don't usually eat when I draw or paint, I'm often too busy or just forget though when I do eat it's usually tea and biscuits! 2. I don't really know... I guess it depends on how complex it is ^^3. I have often considered making art out of food ^^ when i was younger , on fathers day, we would make my dad a special breakfast and I'd always try and make it look like a face. (not very artistic, but the closest I've been to creating food art I guess! )4. I love all forms of desert! My favourite depends on what mood I'm in

1: I tend to eat while I paint and/or draw... and I prefer to sketch food designs. If not that then just actual food...

2: I would draw the line between decorative art and sculpture in cake art to the degree where decorative art is more adding lines and writing to the piece, just simplistic things to make it different, whereas sculpture--for lack of a better term--is actually sculpting what you want out of the food rather than adding on to it.

3: I've tried doing so and failed horribly. I do think about it often, though.

4: hmm... I like ice cream. Chocolate preferably. Any type with chocolate in it.

This really got me thinking... they're all neat ideas. I might have to re-try.

My appetite goes South when I am in the studio, but anything coffee is how I spend breaks. If I had an assignment featuring food, I'd surround my self with that particular food. If structure, or mechanics is introduced into the making of a food presentation, I consider that sculpture - otherwise, food is art, always. Mt favorite desserts center on combining various textures into one sweet dish - molten chocolate cake with lush, warm liquid; crunchy crust; cake with bite and whatever else (surprise me) can be incorporated.

1. Usually chocolate-bars, cookies or crackers - if anything at all. I don't want to ruin my canvas!2. I think it would be when you go from a single cake to adding more layers/cakes on to of each other - that's a "sculpture". While decorating cupcakes would be "decorative art".3. Yes, I have done that a few times before.4. Anything that involves chocolate!

1. I don't eat when I'm drawing.2. When there are more non-edible materials on the cake than edible materials. 3. I have never tried to, but it sound fun so I'll probably give it a shot.4. Tiramisu. :3 Like omnomnomnomnom. xd And cake, because.. cake.

1) Whatever random thing I put on the chair next to me. Normally fruit.2) It would stop when there was more non-edible stuff than edible, or when the non-edible stuff made the edible stuff really hard to eat.3) It'd be pretty fun, though I'd probably never do it.4) All dessert is delicious. I dunno. Cake?

1) i usually don't eat while drawing/painting so I don't get graphite and/or acrylic in my system XD but if I do need a snack, I'll snack on a cookie, granola bar, or wash my hands and get some fruit 2) there are no lines...cake is already a masterpiece <3 lol3)if i was capable of doing so while being able to keep it forever..maybe...as of now..prob not XD4) CAKEEEEE

1) I usually draw after I finish eating lunch which consists mainly of a bologna sandwich,juicebox lol, and snack.Mainly because of the convience. At home I usually don't eat while I draw, and if I do its usually water with pretzels or something XD 2) If there's more nonedible materials than edible ones on the cake that's when I would consider the cake to be more of a sculpture,however if you're using edible substances for your decorative addons then thats more of decorative art. 3) When it comes to food prep that's going to be presented to another person for a special ocassion etc,then I would decorate it as elaborately as I could without overdoing it.The farthest I've come to this was making cookiesinto candycanes and angels etc.I like scuplting with clay,but I would need to broaden my culinary skills farther to do so. 4) I love cake sculptures the best because of the time and dedication put into making them.

cookiesWhen it stops tasting good because its all plasticyes, it would be awesome to learn to create something like those cakes, though i've never tried chocolate pudding with some chocolate ice cream ( Yay Chocolate )

Such amazing cakes!I would have such a hard time eating one because they're so amazing!I wish I had cake around for whenever I finished an art project, unfortunately I just have a glass of water and perhaps a handful of crackers.I wish I could do something like these, unfortunately I don't have the time or skill at the moment.

1.powdered doughnuts2.when i recieve food posioning from my curiosity.3.it depends, id have to improve my cooking skills before i try, but yes i would.4.yellow and strawberry tripple layer cake with vinialla icing with whip cream and strawberries on top!

1. Watermelon Jolly Ranchers or wintergreen mints. Anything else usually distracts me. In an emergency (due the next day or that day) I eat all meals while working.

2. When there is either so much non-edible stuff to hold it up that there's no point to eating it, or there is more fondant than cake. Nobody can eat more than a few bites of that stuff, not even me.

3. Lots of times. Every year I make the Christmas cookies and the sugar cookies are all frosted as realistically as possible. We have weird cookies like roosters, cows, pigs, etc. and then some normal ones like angels, trees and reindeer.

4. Basically anything that has cream or chocolate (or both) and no nuts.

1. What do you eat when you draw or paint or do you paint or draw while you eat?Sometimes I do, sometimes I don't. Oftentimes it's something light and simple. Potato chips, chocolates... yeah. I don't usually eat meals while drawing/painting though.

2. Where would you draw the line between decorative art and sculpture in cake art?Decorative art would serve as just that--decoration on the cake. Sculpture would be the whole thing.

3. Would you consider making art out of food or have you every tried doing so?I tried it a few times, and would like to do it again if I have the chance.

4. What is your favorite form of dessert?So long as it tastes good [and hopefully looks nice too], it's fine with me.

1. Some peanuts maybe. Otherwise, whatever is available.2. Sculpture in cake art would require way more details than some simple decor. A cake looking like a creature or building is already going towards sculpture.3. I've decorated some salads before (one was of fruit, other was made of vegetables and chicken meat, with boiled eggs and some peppers). Not something too fancy though.4. As long as I find its taste good, I don't really care what it looks like (with a few exceptions, like... I wouldn't eat something that looks offensive or disgusting, and when I was a kid, I used to avoid eating chocolate bunnies because they looked so adorable... so I used to keep them until they'd expire and my mother would throw them away)

1. I tend to keep my activities separate. I drink various warm beverages while I write, though ^ _ ^ 2. Who needs lines? I think something can count as both!3. Gingerbread houses, anyone? I love decorating cookies for valentines day and christmas, and my family makes a "flag cake" for the fourth of july using. white frosting, blueberries, and strawberries.4. I like cake when it's really well made. I would love to try making the sushi-cake featured above. I'm very impressed by it.

1. i do not draw while drinking, i draw in my room which is peace and quiet. While listening to music2. ??? I don't understand... :sighs:3. I make smiley faces on EVERYTHING~... hehe~ 4.favorite form is mostly artistic stuff

1. i eat an drink paint. lol jks. no, i don't eat when i do art. but i doodle and sketch when i eat breakfast, lunch, dinner and snack 2. not sure about this... what is art? lol3. i've never really thought of it as a medium for me. and i don't think making smiley faces on cookies and pancakes count, so no. 4. favourite form? can't pick one. but all is welcome as long as it's sweet and pretty

1. no, i never eat while draw. i only listen to music. 2. Decorative art is more wedding cake style while sculpture is more along the likes of skyward sword cake. 3. i have tried with mash potatoes. There was this guy on TV which made the most amazing art with sand, creating pictures. That was inspiring. 4. Chocolate moose. The pudding kind.